The Protector

The Gate Part 1

"Eleven", Mike said approaching the young girl. "Mike", Eleven replied with a gasp while tears ran down their faces. "Is that...", Max started looking at Lucas and Dustin only to receive a nod. "I never gave up on you. I called you every night. Every night for-", Mike started only for Eleven to interrupt him by saying, "353 days. I heard". "Why didn't you tell me you were there? That you were okay?", Mike questioned. 

"Because I wouldn't let her", Hopper answered for Eleven before walking towards her. "The hell is this? Where've you been?", Hopper asked Eleven only for her to respond, "Where have you been?". The two quickly embraced each other causing Maddie to state with bitterness in her tone, "This is the secret you have been keeping. You've been hiding her". Mike immediately shoved Hopper causing him to grab Mike before saying, "Hey! Let's talk, alone". 

As soon as the boys left, Eleven quickly ran into Maddie's open arms. Maddie has tears running down her face while she squeezes Eleven tightly. "I thought I lost you and it was my fault", Maddie said. "It was not your fault. I'm still here", Eleven stated before pulling away and looking at Maddie's leg. "What happened?", Eleven questioned worriedly. "Just a small accident", Maddie said with a small smile before adding, "I'm so happy you are alright", while pulling her into another hug. "I love you", Eleven mumbled into Maddie's shoulder while Maddie whispered an, "I love you too, pretty girl", in response. 

After Eleven reunited with everyone, the whole group crowded around the dining room table to discuss the plan. Maddie was sat down on one of the chairs while Hopper stated, "It's not like it was before. It's grown. A lot. And, I mean, that's considering we can get in there. The place is crawling with those dogs". 

"Demo-dogs", Dustin corrected. "I'm sorry, what?", Hopper sighed out. "I said, uh, Demo-dogs. Like Demogorgon and dogs. You put them together, it sounds pretty badass-", Dustin said before being interrupted by Hopper asking, ""How is this important right now?". "It's not. I'm sorry", Dustin replied before looking down slightly embarrassed. 

"I can do it", Eleven said looking from Hopper to Maddie. "You're not hearing me", Hopper replied. "I'm hearing you. I can do it", Eleven snapped back quickly. "It's a stupid idea El. And we are not stupid", Maddie stated. "Even if El can, there's still another problem. If the brain dies, the body dies", Mike said causing Max to add, "I thought that was the whole point". "It is, but if we're really right about this... I mean, if El closes the gate an kills the mind flayer's army...", Mike starts before Lucas and Maddie state, "Will is apart of that army", at the same time. "Closing the gate will kill him", Mike said.

The group left the table once Joyce went to Will's room. By the time Maddie hobbled to the room she heard Joyce state, "We need to burn it out of him". "We have to do it somewhere he doesn't know this time", Mike said before Dustin added, "Yeah, somewhere far away". A look of realization comes onto Hopper's face before everybody rushed into action. Hopper grabbed Will's body before carrying it to Jonathan's car. Maddie followed the boys as quickly as she could before opening the car door. Before she could enter the car the door what shut in front of her.

"What is your problem?", Maddie questioned Hopper angrily. "You're not going", Hopper said before walking towards his car. "What do you mean I'm not going?", Maddie asked as she stomped angrily after Hopper. "You're injured", Hopper pointed out. "So what? I can still help", Maddie stated. "Mads, please just stay here and watch the kids", Joyce asked Maddie. "Steve is already here, they don't need two babysitters", Maddie said trying to make a point. "Mads", Hopper sighed out. 

After a moment of silence, Maddie finally realized that she wasn't getting anywhere with the adults and she was only slowing them down. Maddie sighed in defeat before pulling both adults into a tight hug before stating, "Be safe. And don't be stupid. I love you". Maddie heard multiple people repeat "I love you" before Maddie pulled Jonathan and Nancy into a quick hug. Eleven hugged Maddie tightly causing Maddie to return the gesture before Eleven moved on to Mike. Maddie quickly kissed Will's forehead before limping back inside and heading to the couch. 

Maddie heard loud voices talking before she walked into the room to see Steve telling the kids, "We're staying here on the bench. And we're waiting for the starting team to do their job. Does everybody understand?". "This isn't a stupid sports game", Mike complained. "I said does everybody understand that? I need a yes", Steve said as the kids didn't say a word. 

Soon enough the group heard an engine revving outside causing Max to run to the window followed by a limping Maddie. "Bills", "It's my brother", Maddie and Max stated at the same time. "Shit", Maddie mumbled. 

"He can't know I'm here. He'll kill me. He'll kill us", Max said referring to herself, Lucas and Maddie. Maddie quickly got off of the couch getting ready to exit the house. Before she could open the door, she was stopped by Steve grabbing her arm. "You can't go out there", Steve said. "I have to. I'm probably the person he would least likely kill right now", Maddie stated with a small smile. Before Maddie could say anything else she was pushed out of the way and Steve exited the house. 

"Damn you, Harrington", Maddie mumbled before watching the two teens out of the peep hole. After a couple of minutes, both teens looked towards the window where the kids were watching out of before they ducked down. "Shit! Did he see us?", Dustin questioned. Maddie looked back to the peep hole to see Steve get pushed down and kicked in the chest. "Go to my room", Maddie said. "Now!", Maddie shouted causing the kids to move, but not in time. Billy enters the door seeing Maddie standing in front of the kids protectively. 

"Well, well, well", Billy starts before adding, "Lucas Sinclair. What a surprise". "Bills", Maddie warned in a low tone. "I thought I told you to stay away from him, Max", Billy said approaching Max only to be cut off by Maddie standing in front of her. "Billy, go away", Max stated confidently. "You disobeyed me. And you know what happens when you disobey me", Billy said causing Max to mumble out a "Billy". Before Maddie could move fast enough, Billy stated, "I break things", before pushing Lucas into a wall. "Bills!", Maddie shouted following him while the kids yelled at him from behind. 

"Get off of me, you-", Lucas said only to be interrupted by Billy saying, "Since Maxine won't listen to me, maybe you will. You stay away from her. Stay away from her! You hear me?". "I said get off me!", Lucas screamed kneeing Billy in the crotch. Billy groaned before shouting, "You are so dead, Sinclair! You're dead". Maddie quickly got in front of Lucas before she heard Steve say, "No, you are". Directly after this Steve punched Billy in the face. 

"Steve!", Maddie yelled slowly limping into the kitchen. "Looks like you got some fire in you after all, huh? I've been waiting to meet this King Steve everybody's been telling me so much about", Billy said right as Maddie was almost in between the two guys. "Get out", Steve said dangerously low. Billy tried to throw another punch at Steve while Steve ducked and threw three more back causing Billy to be thrown into the counter. 

"Billy! Steve! Stop!", Maddie yelled at the two boys, finally being able to get in between them. As soon as Maddie turned towards Billy she was hit over the top of her head with a plate causing her to fall to the floor. "Shit", Billy said seeing Maddie hit the floor. Before Billy got a chance to check on her, Steve punched him again. 

After a moment of pain, Maddie got up with blood dripping down her face, before trying to pull Steve away from Billy only for him to push her off of him. Maddie went face first into a glass cabinet causing her to fall to the ground for the second time in a row. Only this time she didn't get up. Billy slowly took advantage after a moment and was repeatedly throwing punches at Steve who was on the ground. 

Maddie watched from the ground, unable to move, while she felt blood running down her face, onto the floor. Shortly after this Maddie watched on as Max picked up one of the syringes used to knock Will out, and stick Billy with it. Billy quickly stood up before asking, "What the hell is this? You little shit, what did you do?". Just before Billy could completely hit the ground he saw Maddie laying on the floor not moving. "Addie", Billy whispered before he hit the ground. This was the last thing Maddie heard before everything faded to black. 

A/N: Wow, a whole lot of drama this chapter. I'm sorry for the late update and for only publishing one chapter today. But almost my whole family has Covid so I wasn't on a lot of electronics today. Please feel free to comment, I would love to hear your opinions. As always I hope you enjoyed and don't forget to vote. Love from the author, over and out!